The Beginning.

Alan gasped, his eyes snapping open. He was on the ground, his body still cold and aching. His hands were trembling, his skin damp with rain—but not blood. He blinked, confused.

Didn't he die?

Slowly, he pushed himself up, wincing as he braced for the sharp pains in his ribs, the agony in his gut. But… there was nothing. His clothes were still the same, ragged and filthy, smelling worse than shit . And his body…

Intact?

He touched his side, expecting to feel the wound where the knife had plunged into him, but it was gone. No blood, no gash, no pain.

"What the fuck?" he muttered under his breath, glancing around he saw the same street, the same rain…

The same cloudly weather.

It was during a rainy night he died.

So why was it cloudly once again?

He stared at his hands. They were shaking.

Did he… return to the past?

As someone who'd read so many novels and fanfictions, he was familiar with the concept of regression. Was this his ability?

His superpower?

…

He didn't know.

For all he knows It could've been a one-time thing, or this could all be some illusion.

But his gut told him otherwise.

Walking past the same pedestrians as before.

Some were rushing to get out of the rain, others had umbrellas, they looked at him the same. Some with pty others with disgust. but he didn't care. He continued walking.

"Famous Genius, Billionaire, Playboy and Philanthropist Tony Stark will soon be hosting the Stark Expo, as per the rep…"

The same words, the same channel.

There was no denying it.

He'd always thought that such an ability was cool when he was reading. Now?

He was terrified…

But then, wasn't that what he wanted? What did he have to lose? He had nothing before, in this world he had even less.

He looked at the same alley where the woman would be assaulted when suddenly.

—Ding!

—The Hero System has been successfully activated!

—Displaying First Mission!

[ Quest: One step forward.

All Heroic beginnings starts somewhere , but only through hardship will it blossom.

Save the helpless woman from being assaulted and robbed by defeating the thugs!

Completion Reward: Clock Dial(1), Main Quest Becomes Accessible.

Failure Penalty: Death. ]

Alan stared at the holographic thing in disbelief.

A system? 

It felt like something straight out of one of the countless novels he'd read.

He blinked, trying to make sense of the floating text in front of him.

Did some ROB put him here? Was he some kind of chess piece?

Questions but no answers, atleast for now he'd need to focus on the things ahead.

He walked towards the empty hall that would soon be filled with thugs.

Suicide.

This was what he was doing. He knew he couldn't win against someone stronger than him, hell he was outnumbered bu a shit ton.

But he didn't care.

A hero.

It was a stupid dream.

But… could it be possible to achive now?

He sighed, grabbing one of small metal pipes on the side wall near the orher construction materials he waited behind one of the containers.

At the very least he could suprise them.

Alan steadied himself, the woman's screams and the thugs' cruel laughter filling the alley. 

Fucking bastards.

He gripped the metal pipe tightly and stepped out from behind the container, swinging the pipe with force.

The first thug dropped instantly as the pipe connected with a sickening crack to his skull. Blood splattered across the pavement. Alan didn't pause. He moved toward the next thug, swinging the pipe relentlessly.

Another thug turned just as Alan's pipe smashed into his face. The blow crushed his cheekbone, sending him sprawling. Blood gushed from his broken face as he fell.

The remaining thugs, now aware of Alan, shifted their focus. One charged at him, fists flying. Alan took the hits, his ribs aching, and retaliated fiercely. He swung the pipe again and again, each hit landing with a dull thud.

One thug tackled him, throwing him against the wet pavement. "Shit!"

Alan's head hit the ground hard, but he rolled over quickly, grabbing a piece of wood and using it as a weapon. The wood splintered as it connected with another thug's face, and blood sprayed out.

The thug stumbled back, clutching his broken nose. Alan saw a thug approaching with a knife and barely managed to dodge the blade's slash. The knife cut into his side, drawing blood. Alan grabbed his arm and managed to twist it whcih caused him to drop knife.

—SCRRCH!

Grabbing the pipe from the ground once again, Alan swung it with bashing the mans skull. The alley was completely bloodied, He smashed a thug's face into the pavement, the skull cracking under the force. Another kick to the ribs crunched bones beneath his boot.

The last thug in the distance pulled something out.

A gun.

"Fuck!" Alan saw the glint of metal just as the thug raised it. He barely had time to react before the gun fired.

—BANG!

The shot rang out, echoing in the narrow alley. Alan felt a searing pain in his chest, his body thrown backward by the impact. He fell to the ground, his vision blurring as blood poured from the wound. The pipe slipped from his grasp, falling beside him in the bloody rain.

"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Alan gasped, trying to breathe, but the pain was overwhelming. "Of all the fucking times…"

The thug with the gun approached, his face expressionless. Alan's breath came in ragged gasps, each one more difficult than the last. The alley seemed to spin around him, the rain mixing with his blood.

The thug stood over him, watching as his life ebbed away. His vision darkened, his strength fading. He could barely make out the woman's silhouette running away in the distance.

Was it worth doing the same thing again?

Yeah. It was.

He didn't know if he had the ability or not.

Either way, was fine by him.

The world grew dim.

Then…

—Tick.

The colorless world.

—Tock.

And the clock that rewinds once again.

…

***

Alan jolted awake, gasping for breath. He was on the ground again.

It was cloudy, it was raining!

He looked around. 

The same street. The same people walking by.

He laughed.

He was back once again, he could still remember the pain, the exhaustion.

He was fucking back!

So he stood again. Not like before, this time he'll stand like them.

And he'll stand up from as many times as it takes.

Chapter end